Moana Pool Maintenance Planned

Dunedin (Friday, 27 June
2014) - Maintenance work on Moana Pool’s main pool and
leisure pool will periodically affect patrons’ use during
July and early August.

While never entirely closed, areas
of the main pool will be restricted from 7-14 July while the
bulkhead (the mobile pool divider that spans the width of
the main pool) is replaced.

The leisure pool and spa will
be closed and drained between 28 July and 8 August to allow
for general maintenance to tiles, grouting, pool-side
stairs, water storage tanks and overhead Dunedin City
Council Aquatic Services Manager Paulien Leijnse says,
“The main pool’s existing bulkhead is quite old. Any
maintenance work on it would require either draining the
pool or lifting the bulkhead out.

“The new bulkhead
design will also allow Moana’s main pool to comply with
FINA (the world governing body for swimming sports)
regulations. This will allow Moana Pool to hold New Zealand
championship level events with FINA standards.

“The aim
is that the main pool will never be entirely closed during
the bulkhead replacement.

The deep end will remain open
the majority of the time, but the shallow end will be more
affected. Lane swimming will still be possible, although
this may involve lanes across the width of the pool and
fewer lanes at times. Unfortunately there will be some
disruption, and safety will take priority.”

Ms Leijnse
says the decision to replace the bulkhead during the school
holidays is the most logical as the demand on main pool
space is lowest at this time.

The leisure pool and spa’s
maintenance work will take place after the school holidays.
As well as general maintenance, the balance tank that stores
the clean water destined for the leisure pool will be
checked. The pool’s filters and pumps will all be checked
and if necessary, replaced. The spa pool’s main filter
will be replaced, to further improve its water quality and
“The leisure pool is showing signs of wear and tear,” Ms
Leijnse says. “While it is empty, it makes sense to do as
much work as we can. We don’t want to be emptying it again
soon.”

For safety reasons the spa pool and rapid river
will be closed for a period of hours while sections of the
old bulkhead are taken out, and again when the new
bulkhead’s three 600-700kg sections are moved into
place.

Gym Supervisor Chris Bisley says, “After the
bulkhead replacement is complete, minor tile maintenance
will be carried out in the main pool’s deep end. Once
again, this will not mean the pool’s closure, thanks to
the development of a ‘tile tank’. This unique piece of
equipment, produced locally, enables small areas of the pool
to be sectioned off, drained and repaired.

“We have
small and large versions of the tile tanks. Aquatic Services
had the concept and our Maintenance Supervisor Brent
Cunningham liaised with Stainless and Alloy Fabrications in
Mosgiel who designed, developed and manufactured them.
Taking into account the huge cost and disruption of draining
the entire main pool for maintenance, the development of
this tool is quite cost effective. We’re very proud of
these tile tanks and we’ve already had interested
enquiries from other regions’ pools.”

Ms Leijnse adds,
“These projects mean the pools will be in great shape
ahead of our Moana Pool 50th anniversary celebrations in
November.”

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